.dear friends, tonight I want to open a discussion on at least two (or three) points that provoked me in a status that Richard (poet from Ghana) post on his facebook profile. mainly I want to open topic:

“this is d time to release a bestseller. this is d moment to write like never before.”

– for me this is a broad topic, especially when it binds to amazon.com or is connected with book sales and popularity by being purchased instead of what for me is basic, starting point, a foundation or core of why I write. it would go like this: is it better to be read by (some)one to whom I’ll do a complete change of his life or to be purchased by billions or millions, and not to be read from any of them?

:poetry for me has always been something intimate, moment of confrontation with myself, with my own powers of expression of oneness, but also try to subconsciously release d message to d others: where are u, what u do, is it nice to go/ be there as is for u, do u think/ need to snow to d others out there and do u need them to be in the same place/ emotion/ vision/ state as u are now and are u able/ skillful to do that correctly? of course, writing is much more than that, especially at d moment when I’m recognize in the Balkans as a writer/ poet that express himself trough “socially engaged” poetry and speaks by its own verses for all those problems that surround us, and possible solutions to them … as such I do not think that we need to be popular or to expect to write to be a bestseller authors, but to write about that what is burning like lava in us, what in our head as the storm that is passing by, we need to write about d thing that like rainbow in us is making birth of something unseen – some state of existence that we haven’t recognize until now. and on d end (we should not think about): this should be sold (it must be sold – it’s bestseller PEOPLE, don’t u recognize it?!), at amazon.com or no matter where other will be shown?!?

:poetry has always been meditation, personal reflection or message for loved – why you should we sell (why should we put that thing in first place), does it worth, do we want to be worthwhile, why should we value our place in d “top list” more then d important of our current state while we perform or create?

and that third party, which also attaches me is the one related to God, then God must help us if we are good, God (must) is always with us, it is upon us and sees and helps us in everything we do, even if we enroll in notebook unnecessary feelings and we think that we write a bestseller? do we need God to be d “best writers ever” – even that I like d story with Allen Ginsberg and his devoting to d eastern religions… (that is totally other topic)

so let’s start, what do u think?! ^_^

btw. this is d status update by mu friend:

Amazon.com didn’t give me the talent to write. God did. If Amazon is going to pay authors, basically those who enroll their books in kindle unlimited and borrows based on a reader’s length of read, that can’t ruin my talent. I read a couple of posts from some authors giving up on writing, because of this. Excuse me for a minute. Amazon didn’t create you. Inasmuch as Amazon has been so helpful to millions of authors on the global spectrum, it’s time to adjust your tactics. Don’t allow this to impede your passion. This is the time to release a bestseller. This is the moment to write like never before. As for me I’m writing my next bestseller.

in my way, d story will go on like this:

are u sure my friend?

.if there is good poetry/ writing God will not help u, ur words are powers that attract human mind/ soul and that’s how they become interesting/ popular for d people around u/ world.. trust urself, trust ur skills in writing, trust ur emotions, trust ur pictures and mental/ mind/ verbal structures that u create with ur words/ thoughts/ talent – then God -maybe- (“if he recognize ur will/ commitment and hard work”) he will help a bit in all that “storm”, then still my friend, we are all strong enough to push d things around with our spirit, d only inner & outdoor source that is helping us even that we are not aware of it powerful score!

ooo God forgive me that I was devilish with u, but our church nowadays is telling us that yoga is evil work – c’mon my friends 21 century is more then all those old books – we can believe them in a way/ moment/ situations but still – we are d creators, and if we want this world changed (in good way) we are d one that should work on that – not God, not amazon or whateva`.

GO(o)D -_-

.and we need to remember, whenever we’re among ur own, they will always stroke our shoulder and tell us that we’re d best, it’s like that: “u’re right my friend / brother”, but we should not be led solely by them, not only by their passions / views, but because, pls – we need to look around, there’re signals all around us too that may prove really what d real story is actually, although at that point we might ignore it!

– and on d end: do we really need to be popular in this disgusting world or should we changed it first?! PEACE OUT!

.

.

Second Annual Worldwide Event

Includes Musicians and Poets Striving for Global Change

~

This Year’s 100 Thousand Poets for Change Adds Musicians;

600 Events Planned in More Than 110 Countries

_____

Santa Rosa, Calif. (July XX, 2012) – September 29, 2012 marks the second annual 100 Thousand Poets for Change, an event that brings poets, artists and musicians (new this year) around the world together to call for environmental, social, and political change. Voices will be heard globally through concerts, readings, workshops, flash mobs and demonstrations that each focus on their specific area of concern, within the framework of peace and sustainability, such as war, ecocide, racism and censorship.

“Peace and sustainability is a major concern worldwide, and the guiding principle for this global event,” said Michael Rothenberg, Co-Founder of 100 Thousand Poets for Change. “It’s amazing to see how many people have joined in around the world to speak out for causes they believe in, and to see so much heart and creativity expressed in their diverse approaches to this event.”

Participants are hoping, through their actions and events, to seize and redirect the political and social dialogue of the day and turn the narrative of civilization towards peace and sustainability. Those that want to get involved can visit www.100tpc.com to find or plan an event near them.

“This grass roots movement has arisen largely due to the impact of social media,” said Co-Founder Terri Carrion. “We’re really excited about the events we’ve got planned this year.”

*

~

There are hundreds of activities planned in the United States alone, including:

·A blues festival in New Orleans to help raise funds for medical care for aging musicians

·A concert of Tibetan music and poetry hosted by 100 TPC Free Tibet in Pasadena

·A concert in Nashville’s Centennial Park featuring major local musicians

·An Occupy Wall Street poetry group will kickoff a weekend of events in New York City

·An all day festival with multiple stages and over 50 poetry readings hosted by Beyond Baroque Cultural Center in Los Angeles

·A three-day event in Santa Rosa (near San Francisco) that will live-stream events from around the world and feature live poetry readings, workshops and various styles of music and dance including hip hop, flamenco, African drums, reggae and more (more info in the “What Else” section below)

·A 2 months (August & September) warm up readings all around Macedonia, covered cities as Tetovo, Kumanovo, Skopje, Shtip, Bitola.. and many more. Video poetry, acoustic music with readings, and the main event on 29 September, 2012 that will took place in Strumica [as last year] with workshops, projections, promotions and official poetry presentations with most of the important poets in the Macedonian nowadays, or lets say in the contemporary literature history in Macedonia.

Poetry and peace gatherings are also planned in strife-torn countries like Syria and Afghanistan as well. In Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt, poets, musicians and mimes will perform in public spaces and theaters. In Kingston, Jamaica an entire week of concerts, spoken word performances, lectures and workshops will address literacy issues in the country.

100 Thousand Poets for Change began in Sonoma County, Calif. The headquarters’ event will take place at the Arlene Francis Center in downtown Santa Rosa and will feature live poetry readings, workshops and various styles of music and dance including hip hop, flamenco, African drums, reggae and more. The event will also live-stream other 100 Thousand Poets for Change events worldwide and is sponsored by the Peace & Justice Center and Sonoma County Arts Council.

Immediately following September 29th, all documentation on the 100TPC.org website will be preserved by Stanford University in California, which recognized 100 Thousand Poets for Change in 2011 as an historical event, the largest poetry reading in history. They will continue to archive the complete contents of the website, 100TPC.org, as part of their digital archiving program LOCKSS.

***

~

About 100 Thousand Poets for Change

Co-Founder Michael Rothenberg (walterblue@bigbridge.org) is a widely known poet, editor of the online literary magazine Bigbridge.org and an environmental activist based in Northern California. Co-Founder Terri Carrion is a poet, translator, photographer, and editor and visual designer for BigBridge.org

I went down to the ocean today and the sky and sun and water
were blinding and gorgeous chrome, so I kind of got caught

in light and isolation and could think of nothing else

.

.

.OCEANia and :Christmas_Mitko Gogov

.lips are touching salty waves,
oceans playin’ with d messages lost in them.
We think that inside float
maternal fluid which nourishes us while we sleep
as teddy bears, as kangaroos
in d
wombs
inside.

*

We fly with our messages
like freed birds from their cage..
Love is transferred through cosmic channels!
..an uncle somewhere far across the pond
sit on the shore,
caressing the existence of his thoughts
sending them far away to me
to be returned as hidden universes.
The day ends ..

. .. and, somewhere there Jesus is born.

*

dogs bark in joy,
about one I know for sure.
In these bottles we keep all
d messages, those which are yet to be sent
condemning the mystery of not knowing.

!Telepathy is a pact with mice. .. you hear me?

*

We signalize d existence,
as fireflies in summer. .. even d Indians would envy us
for d art of connecting.
Do we hear each other or d waves are too strong?!
I hear how d water cleans our souls. these salty rocks
one day will fall apart!
We run lost as we should
win this marathon, but not
all waves end at the same place?

*

Embraced each other with d thoughts that returns
– boomerang technique is more active nowadays.
The end of reason is near ,
in d rain we hide d cry of our fear.
At the end of the day

:all stars are falling down
– but they not fade;

they glow us from closer!

night lights,
they make d passion for more myth!

*

We reserve space in d universe
as if d hotel of our life has remained with(out)
no rooms. Guests are our memories. ..

fill d beds and under them they hide Us
from ourselves..*

Here the lake is calm
..dreaming of its elder brothers and sisters
will there be a river born to bring me
at d sea,
will there be a sea born
to bring me to you?

*

The Absolute dives with special equipment
we the trackers are dolphins
we close our snouts while we breathe,
yet, our ears fill with water .

Can we hear d water composition
for the rain, for d snow that melts in us
or icicles are born?

In my house a wave is coming,
from d ocean is, We say. ..
on my walls dark blue worlds
aquarium filled with indigo sky

_this is a project that I like to call meditation trough #poetry and it happen on d Christmas Eve’ when Michael sit on d ocean and sent his poetry trough d waves in my house where I receive d salty smell of d eternal life that we live.

Before I share d bio that I took from wikipedia I want to mention here that I become friend with him after he start d big poetry event 100 Thousand Poets for Change, that took place all over d world in one single day 24. September and I decide to make poetry event that will be part of d event and will be placed in my city as only manifestation that will support this IDEA and will sent signal, light from Strumica for more awareness in all fields. more about 100 TPC and Big Bridge [here]. if u are into poetry u can create d event for ur region for next year, it’s planned for 29 September – [join Us, write to us at: walterblue@bigbridge.org]

Michael Rothenberg is an American poet, songwriter, editor, and active environmentalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Born in Miami Beach, Florida, Rothenberg received his Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Afterward, he moved to California in 1976, where he began “Shelldance Nursery”, an orchid and bromeliad nursery.

In 1993 he received his MA in Poetics at New College of California. In 1989, Rothenberg and artist Nancy Davis began Big Bridge Press,[1] a fine print literary press, publishing works by Jim Harrison, Joanne Kyger, Allen Ginsberg, Philip Whalen and others. Rothenberg is editor of Big Bridge,[2] a webzine of poetry. Rothenberg is also co-editor and co-founder of Jack Magazine,[3] He is the editor of:

Overtime, Selected Poems by Philip Whalen

As Ever, Selected Poems by Joanne Kyger

David’s Copy, Selected Poems by David Meltzer

Way More West, Selected Poems by Ed Dorn (Penguin, 2007)

Collected Poems of Philip Whalen (Wesleyan University Press, 2007).

Rothenberg’s poems have appeared in 88: A Journal of Contemporary American Poetry, First Intensity, Cortland Review, Golden Handcuffs Review, Exquisite Corpse, Zyzzyva, Mudlark,[4] Jacket, Rolling Stock, Sycamore Review, and other publications. His books include Unhurried Vision, Paris Journals, What The Fish Saw, Nightmare Of The Violins, Man/Woman w/Joanne Kyger, and Favorite Songs. In 1990 Rothenberg began writing songs. His songs have appeared in films by Hollywood Pictures, Shadowhunter and Black Day, Blue Night.

youth worker that works with young people from everywhere, push for social inclusion and volunteering. .. active graffiti painter and word as a [dj] with the name Dzamski, specializing in psychedelic trance, dark forest, experimental and ambient sounds.
Blogger, open for communication. #culture #art #media

Prize motivation: “because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality”

That what I would like to mention on my blog is this year Nobel Prize in Literature 2011. One hour before the official annunciation of d awarded author on fb there where conversation between the Balkan literature circles that one of d nominated for d award is writer from Serbia. [fake info] probably because now we can read that besides d laureate 7/1, the 81-year-old Syrian poet known as Adonis at odds of 4/1 was second and Japan’s Haruki Murakami was third at 8/1.

Then we saw d first news like: The 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded toTomas Tranströmer “because, through his condensed, transluscent images, he gives us fresh access to reality“.

That what I found interesting today is the opinion that Timothy Byford (famous film director & friend of mine) shares on his personal web page:

“I have to admit to never having read a single of Tranströmer’s poems before this week and am grateful to the Swedish Academy for drawing my attention to his poetry, which I find mystical, dreamlike and enigmatically subtle, prompting one to read them over and over again, every time discovering something new.

Apparently in Sweden he is known as a `buzzard poet` because his poetry views the world from a great height…like a buzzard.”

While on Internet d people are separated in their opinions I decide that is good to read some poetry firstly then to try to create opinion. ..or to take a side. .. I start with links where we could read more about his works. The official link for d awarded author, also as post in guardian.uk, LA Times etc.

AFTER A DEATH
Once there was a shock
that left behind a long, shimmering comet tail.
It keeps us inside. It makes the TV pictures snowy.
It settles in cold drops on the telephone wires.

One can still go slowly on skis in the winter sun
through brush where a few leaves hang on.
They resemble pages torn from old telephone directories.
Names swallowed by the cold.

It is still beautiful to hear the heart beat
but often the shadow seems more real than the body.
The samurai looks insignificant
beside his armor of black dragon scales.

translated by Robert Bly

OUTSKIRTS

Men in overalls the same color as earth rise from a ditch.
It’s a transitional place, in stalemate, neither country nor city.
Construction cranes on the horizon want to take the big leap,
but the clocks are against it.
Concrete piping scattered around laps at the light with cold tongues.
Auto-body shops occupy old barns.
Stones throw shadows as sharp as objects on the moon surface.
And these sites keep on getting bigger
like the land bought with Judas’ silver: “a potter’s field for
burying strangers.”

translated by Robert Bly

Nikola Madzirov, poet from my city [very famous] in d last days shares on his facebook profile poetry from d awarded laureate so I decide to keep it for myself here. Tomas Tranströmer has been part of d Struga Poetry Evenings 2003 in Macedonia and awarded with d most important award “Golden Wreath“.

In the wireless connection I found colors on the top of the TV. The youth in the box were speaking about art. Modern or contemporary?
If you still can’t find the difference between these two periods in the creative era don’t worry because the line between those is not very good defined, except that the artist in the contemporary period can use the telephone, video, TV, and all the modern technology we have now. In the modern period the artists still didn’t have some of those materials/ products.
If we are looking for the right definition about the word Contemporary we know that it means “art that has been and continues to be created during our lifetimes”. In other words, contemporary to us.
It is a period that started in the 60’s and the beginning of the 70’s. As we saw that after the postmodern there where still new things coming and the designers and artists show totally new ways of expressing themselves.
The difference in this last period of the evolution of art is that you can write on the paper and it is not necessary something to be written at all. It is also not necessary to be explained to the audience what does that mean. It’s all about the human eye and how it accepts these works of art. Usually nowadays we can find groups of artists gathered in community, creating conceptual stuff which are difficult to be explained and are observed only from small circles of people who are into art. Over the past 40 years we saw what kind of shapes and forms this period can create to evolve into today’s level where the reception of art is crystallized till moment of refinement.. Every different period brings new waves in different fields of the normal day living. We live in time when we wait for new application and upgrade of the old one everyday, when good commercial, advertisings and designs take our attention. We want to enter in objects that bring us new way of thinking and combine the elements and the knowledge from the classical ages till now. Exactly that is living in contemporary environment.
There are new lines in the forms of the architecture that starts building in the last 30 – 40 years, different relation with the theatre, painted art, photography, literature, movie and all other brunches of the art as a whole.

New forms were born like art installations, multi media, visual art etc. There are different issues with which the artist or the groups connect with, such as feminism, multiculturalism, globalization, bio-engineering and AIDS and cancer awareness. Most of the time, contemporary art is closely related to the modern, postmodern and avant-garde period of art. In today’s art, materials which are used in the creation of an art-work are collection of information that the materials carry by themselves and their combination is aimed to convey a specific thought / paragraph for a particular condition.

Ones of the best presenters of this period who border with the postmodern are Marina Abramovich (performance artist), Banksy (graffiti artist), Yoko Ono (musician, artist), Laurie Anderson (performance artist), Slaven Tolj (performance, installation artist), Richard Wilson (sculptor), Philip Pocock (internet and installation artist), Kenneth Noland (painter), Charles Bukowski (writer, poet), Takashi Murakami (sculptor and painter), Santiago Calatrava (architect) and so much more situated in a lot of different categories like feminist art, neo-conceptualism, neo-expressionism, multiculturalism, graffiti movement, neo-pop, futurism, minimalism and so on..
Contemporary art is art in action. As a whole, it is very difficult to analyze it, mostly because of all those groups and subgroups in which artists define their expression. Groups create art that is engaged, which is protest or support of a political process, a revolt against a global problem, poverty, discrimination, gender inequality, environmental problems etc..

Nowadays, art is taking part of everything. When you buy products you choose those who have better form and design, on TV and internet we more often stay on some programs and pages that bring something unique and not seen before. The things that we can see in the galleries are based on deeper concept that is the main point on which we should put attention.
Contemporary artists are here to bring progressive ways of understanding the life like sustainable and innovative living with use of organic and recycled materials. When mother Earth is more respected, all her resources can be used in more creative way.
Everything what we do in present time can be seen as a contemporary way of living and the works that we produce can be seen as contemporary art. 🙂.
On this exchange we are going to talk about contemporary art and we will share our knowledge about art during this modern age of living. We are also going to discuss about the materials which are used by the present artists in order to create their works and what kind of message they bring.
There will be workshops where we will express our ideas via all those different ways..

Like this:

Few nights ago I try to play #haiku game on twitter and for me that was challenge and good way to practice words game and contribute in the global energy with my thoughts and emotions.

…

It was usual night as every other night when I’m sitting home and share some information and little haiku on twitter. Then after few hours doing my things I had the pleasure to be invited to play #renga with my friends on twitter @urbancrafter@Adamfyre@CDominiqueG@LiuTiemo, and as you know I’m @Potru on twitter.

First if you don’t know what is renga It’s great opportunity for you to read this for first time and for me to promote this old style of writing poetry on my blog.

Renga is a form of linked poetry which evolved from tanka, the oldest Japanese poetry form. The word is both singular and plural as in our English “sheep” and “deer” so you don’t have to learn two foreign words.

In renga’s eight hundred year history it has gone through many fashions and changes of goals and ideals. When it first began the trick was to turn the reader’s thinking to admire a pun or jest as a three-line verse (of 17 syllables) was continued with a two-line verse of 7 and 7 syllables. If you have the feeling this is related to haiku, you are absolutely correct. The beginning three lines of a renga become haiku when they were snipped off (500 years after it began) by Basho (whom you know already).

As you read some of the renga the important thing to watch is what happens BETWEEN the links. Think of each stanza as a springboard from which you are going to jump. As your mind leaps (and you think you know where the poem is going) you should be forced to make a somersault in order to land upright in the next link. It is the twist your mind makes between links that makes renga interesting.

Some leaps are close (as in the beginning and end of the poem) so the subject is moved only slightly ahead. In the middle of the poem renga whizzes can pirouette until your head spins — and that is just what is desired.

Take your partner by the hand. Start tapping your feet. Bow. And away you go. Well, renga is not really dancing in the barn or ballroom concept, but it does witness to the dance of minds. Therefore you should take it seriously as you remember it is game with words.

The idea of our game was to write one by one and to use one or more words from the last renga that is created, and do that in circle five (5) times. I will put here only my renga’s because they can live by themselves and you can check the other ones on twitter under the hash tag #renga123.

***

In the dream

I’m dreaming your dream.

Your dream,

.

is better than my dream,

or this is your dream.

________________

***

You make photography,

the Moon is your best model

-she shows her beauty.

.

In the summertime the Moon acting

only for you my dear photographer.

________________

***

Are you splitting the life?

Deal the roots from the tree ,

heaven and eternity.

.

I choose to fly with the fairies

sing and dance on their melody.

________________

***

We live in same time,

difference is our space and karma.

Collective Mind and memories.

.

The metamorphosis is like childish game

only plastic toys like airplanes in the sky.

________________

Then we finish the game I had the time to write one more, but the one that @LiuTiemo wrote was just perfect for finish. Here is only the #haiku part from the last renga.

~wake up now, my love / from dreams of isolation / I wake inside you~

The underlined words in my renga’s are the words that I used from the renga’s before. All renga’s from this “match” you can find on @urbancrafter web page. I hope that I was good enough to play with them in near future because they are master in renga and this was my first time. I cross fingers for opportunity to play again.